Entailed Disadvantage
by bando2
Summary: Someone doesn't like people who are different. A serial killer is on the run from one point on the East coast to another. The CSI's must stop murders committed on the perception of the victim. NY case file that introduces the Washington DC crime lab.
1. Chapter 1

A/N This is the first fic I have posted in a good three years and as of now it is un beta'd I just wanted to see if there was any interest so please review.

Entailed Disadvantage

Chapter 1

"I don't believe this," Danny Messer looked at the mutilated body in front of him.

"It doesn't look like he's been dead long, a few days maybe, that's shorter then he time it took us to find the others," Sheldon spoke up frowning. "Still, if this is a serial have moved on by now. His only tie ins have been his MO and that his vics are all disabled. We haven't been able to tie a location pattern down."

Lindsay Monroe looked up from her crouched position, "Meaning his next hit could be anywhere."

Sheldon's phone went off and he answered it looking grim. "We're stretched tonight, I've been given temporary ME status, the morgue is stacked."

Lindsay and Danny nodded, "Peyton's got pick up duty we'll wait for her." Lindsay moved to pull out swabs and work the body as Danny stood and pulled out his phone to let Mac know the serial had struck again.

Danny was snapping pictures of the crime scene the anger in his blood boiling when he noticed the crutch smashed in the corner. Curious, he bagged it and moved on looking for anything else foreign before he began to dust for prints.

"What do we have this time," Peyton asked Lindsay, as she snapped on a fresh pair of gloves, the tight British accent didn't cover the raw emotions. This serial had been plaguing the New York force and was taking a toll on all involved.

"Young man, looks like a double amputee pretty good shape". Lindsay's voice rattled off the facts.

"Bet he put up a fight," came the reply, trying to be light, but she looked at the body Peyton sucked in a breath. Lindsay looked at her curiously. "The LA Chief Medical Examiner is a double amputee, he always has stories at the conventions." Peyton shook her head to clear it and took a liver temp. "Two days max" The remark was dry.

Lindsay nodded, "Sheldon said something like that before hey was called away." The postman called police when he realized the mail hadn't been brought in for a few days, says he usually calls and stops it if he is going to be gone more than a day."

"You done?" we can get this out of here."

Lindsay nodded and stood herself stretching. She put her evidence in her kit and turned to Danny.

"I'm done," he smiled slightly, "the lab is calling Montana."

"Let's get going cowboy."

Back at the lab, Mac was talking to Stella in AV about her case when his phone rang. Frowning at the 202 area code that he hadn't seen in years he answered, "Detective Taylor"

"Detective Taylor this is Rafe Jackson at the District Crime Lab, we've got what my CSI tells me is a serial that was currently working in New York. Young person with a disability, blunt force trauma to the head with what ever is around usually a piece of their own equipment. Since your staff has seen more I was hoping you could send the primary down."

Mac nodded making a split second decision. "Of course she'll be on the next flight into Dulles. I'd come but the heat has tuned people crazy." The man let out a dry chuckle knowing that there was more to it than that. "And Rafe," Mac paused, "it was good to talk to you again."

"You too captain, you too."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So no reviews, that's okay. I was just in NY yesterday and I realized how much I have missed the city atmosphere. Constructive criticism is always welcome.**

**Entailed Disadvantage**

**Chapter 2**

Mac stood outside the fishbowl office that was the home to two of his favorite detectives both had although he would never admit it aloud a soft spot in his heart. They were both fighters and that made them good criminalists. He would have spared them both if he could but he couldn't. Stepping inside he began. "I just got off the phone with the lead investigator at the DC crime lab and it looks like our serial has moved. Lindsay I need you on the next plane down to Dulles international, Danny you can take the case here."

"Sure Mac," Lindsay was rarely one to question what he saw as a direct order and she knew the lab was stretched thin as it was. She sealed and initialed the fiber evidence she had been looking at, and peeled off her gloves. "I'll just tell Adam to get the DNA results to you Danny," she added as she shrugged out of her lab coat. He nodded and she was gone that quickly.

Danny looked at Mac," Her first solo," he asked questioningly.

"She's ready and she's better than you at fielding questions if it becomes political. It is after all Washington." Danny nodded but looked forlorn. Mac smiled and took pity on him. "Take a lunch break and make sure she gets on the plane and have her call you when she gets in it's a short flight."

Danny turned to leave shedding his own lab coat and gloves. "And Danny," he said, "Don't worry I've trusted Rafe Jackson with my life, Lindsay will be fine." A sharp nod was his only reply as Danny hurried away.

Lindsay marked the page in her book as the seatbelt light came on in the plane and dropped the book into her carry on. Minutes latter she was at the baggage claim picking up her specially tagged bag that indicated there was a firearm inside. She knew some criminalists didn't carry like the majority of her colleagues in Montana but after two years in New York she did. Moving into the rest room she washed her face to hide the traces of tired ness she was never able to sleep on planes and pulled out her badge and gun. Securing them she felt much more at ease and she went to find the ride that should be waiting.

"Detective Monroe?"

The boy—no man, was younger than she expected. But his badge said Washington DC Crime lab so she smiled at him. Yes, and you are…"

He smiled easily, "Tim McMann, CSI level one," he laughed, "Low man on the totem pole."

She laughed with him. "I know that felling Tim, boy do I know." He led her to a black SUV with the Crime Lab logo on the door. "Are you even old enough to drive this thing?" She found that he reminded her of Danny and that banter was easy.

He rolled his eyes at her, but figured he should get it out of the way. "I finished college at 20 and I joined the crime lab the next year as a tech, this is my first year as a CSI hence the low rank."

"Lab not interesting enough?"

He shook his head, "I started solving cases before the leads and they got tired of it so they talked Rafe into hiring me." He almost winced at the memory. "It was completely unintentional and to be fair they were pretty open and shut cases."

Lindsay laughed, "Don't worry one of my colleagues was like that he was a board certified surgeon by the age of 20."

Tim whistled and they fell into silence as a few minutes latter they pulled into the parking lot. Before she got out of the car Tim stopped her, and handed her a badge, "Just so the Feds don't get their knickers in a twist," he said with a smile.

She rolled her eyes, "Now I know why Mac assigned me to this case instead of Danny."

Moments later Tim and Lindsay were standing at the door to an office covered in books and Maps. "Rafe, Detective Monroe from NYPD." The man looked up and smiled Lindsay's only thought was that he was huge and seemed to be constrained by a desk to small for him.

"Detective," he held out his hand,

"Lindsay, please both of you," she added pointedly looking at Tim who blushed.

Rafe stood as he handed a card to Tim, "Run these through the databases and compare them with the ones we lifted at the scene then pull the unknowns." Crinkling his eyes in confusion at the lab work, Tim turned and ran into the woman behind him

"Sarah?"

"You sound surprised," she said folding her arms over her chest defensively.

"What are you doing here?

"Consulting," the word was short and a challenge. Rafe cleared his throat. Sarah's eyes slid up to his face and she smiled slightly, "Sorry Rafe," she pushed past Tim into the office, "What's going on?" Rafe gave Tim a pointed look, and with a huff he disappeared down the hall.

Lindsay watched the scene silently taking in all she could. Tim, and Sarah knew how to push each others buttons but Lindsay would bet anything that Tim got over protective. She smiled slightly to herself. She knew the feeling.

"You probably should have told him I was coming," She said easily.

"I thought you too were okay," his eyes narrowed

She shrugged, "We're fine, he's worried it is a serial with the pattern of taking out young people with disabilities."

Rafe nodded, he knew that Tim was sensitive and young, but emotions rarely entered his work and that was a good thing. There must have been more between them then he thought. Than again they seemed to be the most serious young people he knew and it shouldn't surprise him that they took their relationships seriously too. "He should just teach you to shoot."

Sarah gave him a look and chuckled although Lindsay was at a loss for what was so funny, "No one is going to give me a license to carry," she said simply, "too unpredictable," her voice had that resigned quality of someone mocking a decision they saw some sense in but hated nonetheless and Lindsay was intrigued. "Can we move on please?"

Rafe looked apologetic, "Sorry Sarah, Detective Lindsay Monroe NYPD, Lindsay Sarah Armstrong a Special Education Teacher with the District Schools and our information source in all things disability."

"It's not nearly as grand as he makes it sound" she muttered blushing," too much paperwork." Lindsay laughed and Rafe moved passt them, "Come on the body is on the table for the Post. The three of the filed down to autopsy.

Rafe's hand was on Sara's shoulder before she went through the double doors. "Ben's on duty tonight."

She stopped and sighed, "I reserve the right to walk away," she said simply, "but I doubt he'll come up with any new comments." Rafe nodded and they went through. The three snapped on gloves and Sarah stepped back from the table as to not touch any thing. After introducing Lindsay to the assistant coroner Rafe asked for the final report.

"What's the crip doing here?"

Rafe eyed him, "Watch it Ben, Sara is here as a consult."

The man snorted but began, "COD was blunt force tram to the back of the skull. Not sure of the weapon it's an odd shape. There wasn't anything in it. Internal organs seemed to be fine, but the rest of him was falling a part at the seams," he sneered, I took muscle mass as you suggested and there was only a normal amount despite the obvious sings of a regular work out.

He looked right at Sarah who looked right back. "Mixed Cerebral Palsy then," she said evenly. "Common since it is a neurological disorder Ataxia in the upper body, weak muscles she added for Lindsay and Rafe's benefit. What did you find in the lower body?" The question was calm it wasn't like she didn't live with this stuff everyday.

"Enjoying hearing how your body is going to give out Anderson?"

"Williams," Rafe's voice was sharp "Answer the question and if you want to keep your job do not make this case personal."

There is a slight curve to the spine and the hips and pelvis are out of alignment the bones were worn down, looked painful." He smiled mistily. "The right knee cap was slightly out of joint."

"Spastic CP in the lower half of the body to complete the mix," she said dryly, "and no it really isn't all that painful, but it's nice you show concerns for your victim. Was he wearing braces when you found him? You may be able to trace them."

Rafe nodded, "They're upstairs, is that all Doctor?"

"One more thing," the cornors voice was snide again, "remember as a neurological disorder we can never be sure what parts of his brain were effected. It's not like he was normal anyway; his brain wouldn't have been working properly so you may never know why he did what he did or even if he was capable of anything. What is it they call it Anderson? Swiss cheese brain because of the dark spots here the dead neurons are?"

Sarah stared at him for a long minute holding his gaze, "as I am sure you are aware Doctor, brain maturation is between the age of 16 and 18 no mater how much of your brain is working and the effects that you are talking about would be known before then. Given the trouble we are having identifying this young man it is unlikely that this is the case because he would be supervised and a supervisor would have called. Regardless we will know when we have his medical file. Until then as a friend I would sugest you stick to what you know best. Bias towards part of the community you are sworn to help would look very bad on your record, don't you think?" With that she straightened and turned to Rafe, "I'm going to see if they have had any luck with the ID" then she was gone.

"That's enough doctor, in case you have forgotten all post autopsies are recorded. Your supervisors will be hearing about this." With that Rafe followed Lindsay from the room.

Lindsay found Sarah pacing out in the hallway a fist clenched tightly.. Hey, this is a stupid question really, but are you okay?

Sarah shrugged, "He knows how to push my buttons and he doesn't like people with disabilities.

"An understatement," came Rafe's deep soothing voice, "We won't need you for a while Sara go blow off some steam."

Sara nodded, "I'll be at they gym if your vic is still a Doe tell Tim to Call Sharon at Shriner's Hospital in Philly, they may be able to help. And keep him away from Ben."

"Sure kiddo."

He watched her solemnly as she walked away and turned to Lindsay, "I'm sorry you had to see that it is the lab at it's lowest but he isn't usually that vocal and we have never been able to document the attitude for a reprimand. He is," Rafe said sadly, "related to our member of congress."

Lindsay winced in sympathy, in a place as political as the nation's capital, that had to be tricky. "Don't take this the wrong way, but, as an outsider I'd say that that hate crime is enough of a motive.

"Rafe sighed, only years of military training keeping his shoulders out of a slump. I know lets see if we can get means and opportunity, if ewe can get one I'll put him on notice.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I forgot this in the first two chapters. I don't own the CSI franchise and no copy right infringement is intended.

Author's note: Here is chapter three thanks to my reviewers. Sorry this took a little longer, but I want to stay a chapter a head of you. Also I seem to be mixing up some details so if anything about the case doesn't seem to mesh pleas let me know. Un beta'd as usual

* * *

Entailed Disadvantage

Chapter 3

"No hits on any prints, boss, the vic's or the one's we pulled from the house." Tim's voice was bleak.

Rafe nodded, "Sarah said something about calling someone at Shriner's?" His tone conveyed that he didn't understand the reference.

Tim nodded picking up her train of thought. "It's has a cerebral palsy clinic."

"There have to be a lot of doctors though and she said it was in Philadelphia that's kind of far. Lindsey said questioningly."

"We found him in a nice but low income part of town, he was clean, freshly shaven, but wasn't reported missing by any type of social worker so he was on his own. The Shriner's hospitals offer free clinics and insurance isn't necessary, but Philly is the closest one to here. That's where Sarah went and she mentioned that she would see people from Virginia at least if not farther."

Rafe tilted his head and smiled at the logic and the fact that the young man could follow her thoughts. "Make the call. Lindsay see if you can get Mac to send copies of the prints your lab lifted then meet me in layout; I want to go over the scene again."

* * *

"Taylor," Mac answered his phone.

"Hey Mac, it's Lindsay, can you send me copies of the prints and photos from our scenes, we want to do some comparisons."

"Sure I'll have Danny do it and send the reports. Anything there yet?"

"No we're just about to go over all the evidence from the lab tests."

"Keep us informed I'll have Danny call you when his initials are back."

"Thanks Mac."

* * *

Tim was finishing his own call. After he had explained that they needed a body identified and assured the nurse that they didn't need medical records, yet anyway, the nurse allowed him to fax her a picture. She knew him right away A Jason Kern he was 23 and had had his last appointment 2 years ago. He hadn't stayed in touch with them but she did give his last known address. Scribbling the information down, he thanked her and hung up as he hurried to the layout room.

He almost ran into Sarah who had pulled back wet hair into a pony tail and was wearing different clothes. "Gym? He asked understandingly she nodded tiredly and upon entering the room sunk into the chair the Rafe offered her.

"Okay Lindsay your cases first. There were four tables set up against the wall and each table had the evidence from the scene or a list in the case of New York scenes and the pictures on the wall behind it.

Lindsay glanced at Sara and took a deep breath, "Case one Belinda Jacobs 23 Caucasian Female found by her brother and her aide when they returned in the evening. She had a moderately advanced form of muscular dystrophy and had a companion who spent the night to help her dress but had another job during the day. The brother and the companion are dating and their alibi works out. There were signs of forced entry"

"Case two Jessica Lemont 22 Latino Female found by her best friend Amy Gillian who was picking her up fr a girls night out. She had spina bifida but used braces and crutches and was pretty mobile."

"Case three Rob Small, white Caucasian, 24 Called in by the mailman when the mail plied up Double Amputee turned out to be a recovering war vet who lost both his legs in a suicide bombing. He struggled with PST but by all accounts he was doing well." Lindsay finished with a sigh.

Tim cut in, "Case four Jason Kerns, Caucasian male, 23 mild to moderate cerebral Palsy found in an alley badly decomposed." He studied the case notes in front of him for a minute, "COD was blunt force trauma to the head for all of them."

"Sarah?" Rafe spoke gently.

She pursed he lips thinking. In the time line cases three and four are switched right? Jason was killed before Rob." She stood, "It's all physical disability. The obvious kind, but all the vics were functional, mobile, holding down their own jobs, having lives." She stopped abruptly, "Young," she spoke quietly as she filed past the tables like she would coffins at a funeral. She stopped and picked up four photos putting them in order.

"Braces", she said suddenly looking up at Tim as the his brow furrowed and then cleared as he saw what she saw. Seeing that Rafe and Lindsay didn't follow she went on. The number of hinges are decreasing."

And the last murder was actually in New York Tim finished. Lindsay pulled out her phone to alert Mac and the team.

"We'll trace brace maker tomorrow. We have a unidentified blood sample from the last scene that we are trying yo get something on. Rafe said de briefing them. "Go home and get some sleep Sarah, you have a day job and Lindsay you've had a busy day. did you get a hotel?"

Lindsay glanced at Tim who looked almost sheepish, but Sara spoke up, "I've got a room, if you want, it's better than an impersonal hotel anyway," she shrugged unconsciously.

Lindsay shrugged and then smiled. "Sure it does beat a hotel. Can I buy dinner?"

Now it was Sarah's turn to shrug, "Why not. Call or page if you need me," she added to the two men in the room."

Rafe smiled at her knowing the da had been rough, "Will do Sarah and thanks.

"It's nothing," she said waving his comment away and leading Lindsay out of the Lab.

* * *

Pushing the door to her apartment open Sara flicked on her light. "You can set the food on the table. Spare bedrooms on the left, make yourself at home," Sarah said flicking through her mail. Lindsay nodded and made short work of tossing the suitcase at the foot of he bed and putting her gun and badge on the side table.

As she came back out Sarah was removing her leg braces. "You can aske questions," she said gently at Lindsay's gaze.

"Sorry I didn't mean to stare," Lindsay blushed slightly

Sarah shrugged, "Don't worry about it, you're a CSI curiosity is natural and you're not malicious…."

_Unlike Ben…_ the comment was unspoken between them but it was there just the same

They moved to the table and fell into a companionable silence as they ate. "Does it hurt?" Lindsay asked finally.

Sara chewed slowly giving herself time to consider the answer. "Not really, I've never rally known the normalcy so I can't compare what it should feel like. Sometimes weather and stress make me tighter and then my body does start to hurt, but it is nothing an Advil and some sleep don't take care of."

Lindsay considered that, she guessed it made sense you couldn't miss something you had never had. "You get around fine," she said a most to herself. She paused and then, "Are there many people like Ben?"

Sarah shrugged, "Ben thinks he is right he takes perfection of the body seriously. My brain did not form right and therefore I am not whole or whatever." She smiled slightly, "It doesn't bother me anymore." There was a knock on the door and Sarah went to answer it. She was greeted with a bouquet of flowers, "Hang on let me get your tip."

"It's already been taken care of. Have a good night ma'am."

"You too, and thank you."

Turning towards her apartment she heard Lindsay laugh. "I think someone likes you Sar."

"Do you have a guy in New York Lindsay?"

Now it was Lindsay's turn to blush as she watched Sarah put the flowers in water. "Yeah Danny, we work together.

"Office romance," she laughed "Tim and I met at a crime scene one of my kids was witness to a hold up but he's nonverbal and he's been in and out if the system enough that he doesn't trust many people; I had to help with the questioning." Her voice softened, "Then it turns out that one of my kids turns up on the ME's table in a gang related thing. We went out for drinks after that one."

She reached up to absently twirl the pendant a her neck lost in memory and she looked at Lindsay smiling sadly. "It was one heck of a welcome to the big city."

Her phone interrupted her. "Anderson." She listened, "Yeah Rafe….fine, I know you can't give me a detail at work… fine… and Lindsay is here too…..fine just tell them not to be too loud or my neighbors will yell."

She closed her phone and rolled her eyes turning to Lindsay, "It's just occurred to them that I fit the profile of the serial's vics, along with a hundred other people." She sighed, "Besides, he's past the braces, my fear is he moves on to less noticeable disabilities."

Resigned she turned to Lindsay once more, "I have to work tomorrow but feel free to watch TV or something. Movies are on the shelf and help yourself to anything in the fridge.

Lindsay nodded her thanks even though she would turn in soon. She had some thoughts to process before she did. "Good night Sara, sleep well and thanks again."

The younger girl waved off the thanks again as she had in the lab earlier. It's not a big deal. "Good night Lindsay, it was nice to meet you."


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: Between what happened this past week at VA Tech and the craziness of what has happened on my own campus (a protest turned riot and a bomb scare turned evacuation) and the end of a 22 credit hour semester quickly approaching I have been pushed for time. I apologize; this chapter is short but as always I can promise that the next chapter is written before this one is posted. Please review and let me know what you think.

Standard disclaimers apply: I do not own CSI: New York and no copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Entitled Disadvantage

Chapter 4

Sarah was up before Lindsay who was sleeping off some travel and what had amounted to a double shift. Dressing for work she was always professional. Bu in a skirt you could see the tell tale signs of the leg braces white socks pulled up to her knees and then the top edges folded down over the top strap. Folding down the second sock she laughed at herself remembering as a teenager the feeling that she wanted to stand out and convincing the orthopedist to change her straps from black to orange. Eventually the need for professionalism had won compromised and she had gotten blue on the pair she wore now. Black had always made her feel restrained like big bold lines on a coloring sheet and white got too dirty too fast.

Pushing herself to her feet she gathered her things and left a note for Lindsay on the table telling her to help her self to any food in the kitchen and to call Tim when she wanted to go into work.

That done she headed to the subway she needed to review some paper work before the kids got to school and schedule some meetings. She loved teaching and her Autistic support classroom but it was at least half paperwork.

Her commute was only 30 minutes, but the Metro as always was moderately crowed as she stepped on and moved down the aisle. It was just crowsed enough tht there wasn't any sets but at leas she wasn't squashed. Something wou;d open up in a stop or two.

Moving through the halls of the elementary school Sara smiled in greeting to a few fellow teachers and dropped her lunch into the faculty fridge. She unlocked her classroom doors and flipped on the lights quickly setting up the materials she would need for her morning lesson she sat to do her paper work.

"Hey Miss Anderson!"

"Morning Jerome." She said glancing at her watch. Was it that time already? She smiled and saved the file that had been open on her computer. Jerome always arrived a little early when his foster mother who worked at the school came in, but the rest of the students wouldn't be far behind. She got up to write the morning schedule on the board. The weekend had been rough and she had missed her kids.

* * *

Back at the lab Tim was trying to explain the Braces timeline to Lindsay and Rafe who were skeptical.

"Okay, he said, pointing to the pictures pinned to the wall. We have victim one who wore HKAFO's"

"Hakafoo?" Rafe asked

"Bless you, Lindsay chirped and Tim let out a laugh.

"Well it's short for Hip-Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthodic."

"A word for each joint" Lindsay caught on.

"Exactly," Tim replied, "And to get the braces of the victims in order of death, take a hinge away. Vic two wore a KAFO, vic three wore AFO's- the articulated kind," Tim frowned and the last vic had no legs and therefore no braces but used crutches. It follows the estimated time of death given by the Medical Examiner.

"Which means," Rafe said slowly, that he came to DC and then went back to New York."

"Why," Tim asked to no one in particular.

"It could have been more personal."

"Oh, I traced the brace maker and the same person made all of the braces. The maker is a Coughlin and son Orthodics at 4598 Georgia Ave. Tim looked at the folder in front of him.

Rafe was already dialing Jack Moran the detective on the case. Shutting his phone he issued his team into action. Lindsay you're with me and Detective Moran, Tim keep processing the evidence there has to be something out of place.

"Sean Coughlin," MPDC detective Jack Moran asked in a no nonsense South Philly accent that had yet to die despite years in the capital.

"Who's asking," the man replied gruffly and Lindsay took the moment to study him and the surroundings. The shop was small but well kept there were shoes displayed out front although not the array that one saw in a department or sporting goods store. He was dressed in spattered overalls and she guessed he had been working in the back.

"The DC police," the detective replied, already not liking the attitude of the man. "We needed to ask you a few questions about the braces you make."

The man seemed to mellow and there was a certain fondness in his voice behind the gruffness. I" hope no one's in trouble. None of my clients would hurt a fly".

"Maybe not, but some one would hurt them," Lindsay stated putting the picture of the most recent victim in front of him. The man visibly winced.

"Know him?" Moran asked coolly?

"No, it's a real shame someone would do that, these kids are al so simple minded."

The detective raised an eyebrow, we found a trace of your company's address on the back of one of the braces."

The man nodded knowingly. "He must have been one of the Shriner's kids. Sometimes they contract out their braces and they try and match them to an Orthopedist in their general area. Makes repairs easier they don't have to go all the way to Philly you know, for something as simple as a little more space at their arch."

Lindsay pursed her lips. There was still the question of how come the serial had gone up to NY and come back. Mr. Coughlin, she asked, "Do you know a Rob White?

"Nah," Coughlin shook his head.

"Know anyone from New York?"

Coughlin's shoulders came up, "Been there a couple of times for trade shows a conference or two maybe over the years."

The sound of the bell tinkled signaling that Coughlin had a visitor. "Are we done gentleman, I have business. Oh," he turned back to them, "If you see Ben Williams tell him I said hello he worked as a clerk for me part time while he went through medical school.

Rafe frowned and led the detective and Lindsay out of the shop and back towards the lab.

A/N 2: As always any mistakes are mine and this is unbeta'd.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Here's the next chapter I think I have everything straightened out plot wise. As usual Unbeta'd please leave a review and let me know what you think.

Usual disclaimers apply. I own nothing you recognize as the property of CBS et al and no copy right infringement is intended.

* * *

Entitled Disadvantage 

Chapter 5

Rafe was just about to throw his coat over the back of his chair and go have a chat with a certain assistant Medical Examiner when his phone rang. Glancing at the display hey frowned. "Jackson. Okay I'll send on of my people over as soon as possible we're pretty tight here." He flipped his phone shut and sighed. He would have to send the young kid. All the other CSI's were tied up on hot cases and Lindsay seemed like she could handle this one on his own for a bit. As it was Tim might need to be pulled off this case the way things were going. He started towards the layout room.

"Tim, glad I found you, we have a young man acting strangely at George Washington, the hospital says he walked in himself pretty beat up but he won't talk and he lashes out ant anyone who touches him."

"Tim furrowed his brow, "That's strange but what about the case here?"

"There are three of us working this and the new one should be pretty routine just go process the kid and see what it can tell you."

Tim nodded shortly, he didn't have to like it, but he knew there was no need or grounds for arguing. He picked up his kit and headed to the garage.

Walking down the corridor to the hospital Tim heard screams and cursing and he began to run. When he got there he found a uniform doubled over with a black eye and nurses trying to restrain a handsome teenager who was slender but six feet tall.

He pulled his hands free and began gesturing wildly; it took Tim a moment as he wasn't fluent in sign language, but as the movement was repeated he was able to guess the word. Understanding began to dawn as he reached for his phone. This was out of his league. "Stop!" His voice was sharp causing all the participants to look up, he continued calmly dropping his voice to a normal level "He's asking for his teacher, and I'm pretty sure that touching him is making it worse. I'm going to call in someone who can help us out."

"Already here." Tim turned his finger on the button to see Sarah coming his way. She dropped her bag by his feet and continued to the young man absolutely focused. The rest of the room watched in silence. The young man was tense and worried, the nurse and uniforms were poised for action, only Tim relaxed.

"Hey Luke, let's get you some space huh?" She held her hands out palms forward and waited until he mirrored her atcion. As he did so Tim noticed a subtle relaxation in the lines of the boy's face. The two moved together slowly their eyes never leaving each other as they pantomimed a wall from eye level to the floor.

More tension receded from the boys frame and when he stood again Sarah gestured to a nearby chair. He slumped into it suddenly tired and the rest of they players of the current drama seemed to take that as a cue to speak again. At once there were voices everywhere.

Sarah held up her hands again, "Please, she asked simply, and the room quieted.

Luke caught her eye and moved his hands. She turned to the officer who had a rapidly swelling black eye. "Luke says he is sorry he hit you but he was scared and had asked you not to touch him."

"The policeman shot a look at the detective next to him and then at the silent CSI, then he shook his head. "It's okay son, it was just a bit of miscommunication." Then he held out his hand not sure of the boy would shake it or how to put him at ease. Luke smiled slightly and did shake the offered hand.

After some quiet discussion with the detective that had been called to the scene explaining that the boy could only stand to be touched non threatening situations and that he was non verbal and communicated by sing language and gesture the police officer and nurses left leaving Sarah, Tim and the detective Grace Larson to figure out what had happened.

The two women looked at each other and Tim decided to take charge, "Detective Grace Larson, meet Sarah Anderson. Sara, Detective Larson DCPD."

Sara smiled at the older woman .Luke this is Mr. McMann, he's with he crime lab. Why don't you tell us what happened. Visibly relaxed now that he knew she was here and because he had been introduced to the people around him he began to sign as Sarah translated for the two investigators.

"My Mom and Dad are out of town this week, Mrs. Sanderson is staying with me at night but she is watching her shows and I usually meet the guys for pizza at Rizzo's." He paused to give Sara time to catch up and shook his hands in a nervous gesture. "We were done eating but I was doing well on the quarter in the pinball machine. I stayed the guys left." There was another pause. "I was taking the alley shortcut and someone tried to push me over."

Luke's look was confused as if he could not comprehend why someone would do that. "I slipped a little but got into my stance. He hit me a couple more times, stomach…chest…ribs" he supplied with out prompting.

"Then I checked him into the dumpster in the alley and ran. Now I am here."

Detective Larson spoke, "I'll get over to Mrs. Sanderson and have her get in touch with the boy's parents perhaps we should keep him here for the night."

Tim had been silent watching the exchange. "We should get a doctor look you over, then I am going to need to take some photographs and collect some evidence. Okay?"

Luke nodded, appreciating that the man was talking o him normally. He singed thank you and was presently surprised when he received a verbal, "You're welcome," in reply.

He walked calmly away with a nurse who led him behind a curtain but not before Sarah had handed him a pencil and note book she had pulled from her bag.

"So do you have a sixth sense or something?" Tim smiled as he let the stark white hospital wall take his weight.

"Megan Laferty volunteers here. Here boyfriend was on the baseball team with Luke before he graduated last year. She had my number. Megan is going to the prom with Luke this year since Tom isn't going to be able to make it," she added as an afterthought.

Tim smiled at the way she knew her students and tried to keep his expression neutral as she sunk into a chair. He failed miserably, "Long day," he asked.

"Shorter than yours," she answered and they lapsed into silence until the nurse came out and nodded to Tim. Sarah stood as well ready to observe and intervene if necessary.

Tim went about the business of taking photographs and fingernails scrapings. When he needed pictures of the bruises that the nurse had already examined, he turned to Sarah and then back to the boy. Miss Anderson is going to step outside I have to take pictures of the bruises on your ribs.

The look in Luke's eye was slightly fearful and it made Tim sad, but Sarah nodded encouragingly and left. Luke and Tim held eyes for a moment and Tim felt rather than heard the trust that was between them. Positioning the hospital gown Luke allowed Tim to take pictures. Just as he was finishing a nurse came in with a pile of clothes.

"The detective picked these up fro you from your room. We'll let you get dressed."

Tim headed back to the lab to drop off the samples as Rafe and Lindsay headed to the alley behind Rizzo's. Sarah had exchanged a meaningful glance with Rafe as so he had decided to handle this one himself. Lindsay began to photograph as he began to process. "I've got a couple different areas of blood," Lindsay called.

Good, Tim thinks the kid may have gotten in a lucky hit. He spied something and a grim satisfaction began to spread over his face. It looks like we have a broken walking stick with some prints on it. He carefully lifted them and then dropped them into an envelope which he signed and dropped into his case. An hour and a half later he and Lindsay were headed back to the lab.

* * *

"Is there a match between our serial and the attack on Luke?" Tim asked more to himself than anyone.

"Would there be? Lindsay asked confused, "I don't see any type of progression.

"Maybe," Rafe said poking his head in, "Sara had mentioned that worry, that he would progress to the harder to identify disability."

"The killer would have to know them more intimately," then Lindsay put in.

"And we've already established that h probably knew Jason Kerns immanently because he came down to DC and went back to New York," Tim added.

"Tim process the kids clothes, I'm going to run these prints. Consider this a possible extension of the serial case as the weapon and the fact that the vic has a disability is the same."

The three investigators moved about their separate tasks.

Lindsay found Rafe in AV running fingerprints through AFIS. "There are two distinct blood samples fro the scene, Luke Garrison and an unidentified male, I am going to see if they match fingernails scrapings and then go see what Tim got off the clothes. If the unidentified DNA is from our perp maybe we can match it with something from the other cases."

"Good I'll leave you two to it. He glanced at the prints that had been identified in front of him. "I have something to take care of. Page me if you need me." This was not good, not good at all.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Here is chapter 6. You can also blame the storm we just had for me posting this since I could not e lazy and mess around on ine the next chapter got written and it is the last chapter so it will be up in a few days at the most. I don't bribe for reviews but they would be nice. As usual this is un beta'd.

Disclaimer: The usual disclaimers apply. I own nothing that you recognize as belonging to CBS et al.

* * *

Entailed Disadvantage 

Chapter 6

"Dr. Williams, can I speak with you a moment?" Rafe's voice was polite but commanding.

"Of course Rafe, what can I do for you?"

"You've been connected to one of the victims of the serial killing we are working and another assault on a minor with a disability. Would you mind answering a few questions?"

Ben looked genuinely surprised, "Sure, he furrowed his brow"

You worked for a time at Coughlin and Sons, a manufacture of leg braces and other assistive devices during Medical school is that right?"

Ben nodded, "That's been a while, is old Sean spewing his softy rhetoric again?"

Now it was Rafe's turn to furrow his brow, "Explain 'softy rhetoric'."

Ben sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Sean has this thing that no one with a physical disability can or will hurt a fly." Ben scowled, "They can and I have found that they will use every advantage they can to get back at the world."

"You don't agree with him." It was more of a statement then a question.

Ben shrugged, "I study the human body and it's perfection. Imperfection doesn't sit well with me. Now a dead body is different. It is a puzzle to pull the story of why it is dead out, but people with physical disability, they don't begin perfect or fully functional like most people. It's like a second at a factory. They young man shuddered involuntarily."

Rafe was speechless, he honestly believed….. It made him want to vomit, but instead he continued almost intrigued. "But other disabilities, that don't have a purely physical manifestation? What about Downs Syndrome?"

"A gene mutation is simply a form of evolution. It's okay, even interesting to see how one chromosome mishap can change so much." Finally Ben crossed his arms. "Look, I don't like people with physical disabilities and I don't necessarily like the adaptations we make for them, but society has long overruled me. I don't care if they exist I just hate to look at them, and I would never presume to be the one who decides that they should die. I wouldn't want the responsibility."

Rafe nodded, as much as he disagreed with the man's views he knew him well enough to know that he was telling the truth. "Just one more question, we found a walking stick that was used to assault a teenager with Autism and it had two sets of prints on it. One was yours."

Ben let out a breath. "I'm not sure how you're going to prove this but it was mine. It was side old and I snapped it while hiking last weekend. I set it be side the dumpster because it was full. They must not have taken it. You said there was another set of prints on it?"

Rafe nodded, "Unknown we just had to check the known ones first."

Ben nodded in understanding and then rose briskly. "I have to get back to work. You know where to find me if you have anymore questions."

* * *

"I don't think the two cases are related," Tim said finally to Grace with whom he was working Luke's assault. 

"No and there is only blood one jagged edge which con firms Ben's story off it having snapped. There are only a set of unidentified prints on the half with blood so everything seems to fit."

"Maybe we should question the pizza shop owner again see if any of the boys who were there that night are around."

"Let's go grab a slice on me youngster," Grace said with a smile.

"Hey I am not that young," he protested.

"You legal to drink yet?"

"Yes," Tim answered exasperatedly. "You know that."

"Can you rent a car?"

"No," he grumbled getting up and grabbing keys off of his desk, "But I can drive and I call it."

The stake out turned out to be a bust but the owner who like Luke immensely and wanted to hire him actually said he would call Tim if he did see the boys. Tim made a mental not to tell Sarah about the job site for Luke to see if she wanted to include it in his transitional training.

Now he was just stepping out of the shower and into nice slacks and a dress shirt. He and Sara were going to a concert at the Kennedy Center and they were taking Lindsay with them. Lindsay had gone home earlier to change. Tim knew she missed the lab in New York and he silently prayed that they got a break in the case soon.

"That was great you two thanks." Lindsay laughed and said, "I'm half surprised one of didn't get called away."

"Sara would have had Rafe's head on a platter," Tim said dryly. He stood back as the two women stepped on to the red Kennedy Center shuttle. Soon they were back on the Metro on their way home for the night. Sarah, whose legs were tired, sunk into one of the designated seats for persons with disabilities. It was fairly crowded though not packed, and Tim and Lindsay stood nearby.

"Excuse me Miss," a Metro employee in an orange vest was speaking to Sarah, "May I see you're disability ID? We're doing quality checks."

Sarah nodded politely. She had heard that people had been making noise about the seats never being open. "Sure, she pulled out her wallet and removed her state ID to show the man the yellow card underneath.

He nodded and smiled, "Sorry to bother, you enjoy the rest of your night."

As he moved off she caught Tim's confused glance and Lindsay's curious one. She shrugged at their unspoken question. "I think they've been getting complaints about uses and abuses of the seating so they are preempting the threat of a lawsuit." She shrugged again and shoved her wallet back into her purse. "Come on, this is our stop."

Tim walked them to their door and said good night before heading for his own apartment near by. Sarah unlocked her door and the two women made their way into the apartment. As she was coming out of the bath room ready for the night, she watched Lindsay reach resignedly for the case file.

Sarah sighed and walked over to her placing a hand firmly atop the papers. "No more tonight Detective, a few hours will lose nothing, and fresh eyes could see everything."

Lindsay smiled up at her "Yes, mom," for which she was rewarded with a playful smack with the file in question. This turned into a pillow fight and tickling until Sarah was crying and twitching uncontrollably. Laughing the women bid each other good night, ready for what ever the morning would bring.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing of CSI: New York. All other characters you do not recognize are my own and any resemblance of them to people fact or fiction is purely coincidental .

A/N : Here is the last chapter of my fist ever finished chapter fic. Unbeta'd as usual. Please leave a review. There is the good possibility of a sequel.

* * *

Entailed Disadvantage 

Chapter 7

Lindsay, Rafe, and Detective Moran were seated in the lay out room looking again at all the evidence. Lindsay was scanning notes and found a hand written dialogue that was two distinct handwriting samples. She recognized the one as Sarah's from the note she had been left on the kitchen table and the other she presumed was Tim's it was simply a series of observations questions and answers.

**The victims are all very mobile high functioning, living life in their own LRE**

_Least restrictive Environment so you could tell the disability but they didn't let it handicap them. Is that important?_

**The handicap depends on the situation or environment they are in and can change frequently, the disability never does.**

_Few people know the difference so what about our perpetrator?_

**Not a profiler but I would say yes even though the line between the two is often blurry. It wasn't like these people weren't living they were and were essentially not handicapped in their environments at least not as much as people assume they are.**

_The line is blurry though so what if our perp isn't sure. Someone familiar with the population but not with culture. Like Gallaudet and the student protests both in '81 and this past fall._

The note ended and Lindsay stared at it for a moment. How had they missed this? "Rafe did you see this?" It was a slip of paper with the words actually on the back of a school flier, signifying that it might have come from Sarah's apartment.

Rafe squinted at it and pulled out his phone. He scowled when he reached Sara's voice mail and went to call Tim to ream him out but stopped when Jack and Lindsay both but a hand on his arm. It was the homicide detective that spoke. "Don't they were just writing notes back and forth. Tim was probably bugging her as she was trying to write up lessons or something. It's background knowledge but it could be important.

Rafe spoke slowly. "If we can think like the perp then we can find him to find the evidence." He continued to think out loud. "Someone who is close and can have a connection with many different types of people all with a physical disability. In New York and in D.C. But not close enough to like them. So maybe it is just a job and not a passion, like teaching is for Sarah."

"Metro Passes" Lindsay said suddenly. "That is how you would now a lot about people with disabilities with out knowing them personally."

She looked at Rafe suddenly scared, "A Metro Employee asked to see Sarah's last night on the way home from the concert. It seemed odd but she shrugged it off."

Instantly the room was abuzz with action Rafe and Jack both had their phones out and were speaking furiously, and Lindsay went to find Tim.

* * *

Grace Larson spoke quickly into the phone at her hip and smiled the pizza shop owner said a few of the kids who could have gone after Luke had just come into his shop again. She had called Tim and he was already on his way there. 

"Do you know Luke Sheen," Tim asked the sullen boys who were crowded into the back corner booth of the pizza shop.

The one who seemed to be the leader spoke. "Don't know who you talking about man."

Grace slid a photo of the boy in a karate uniform across the table. "Recognize him now," she said in a voice that all the youth knew meant that she was patronizing them.

"Seen him around the leader replied with a shrug."

Out of the corner of his eye Tim saw a smaller boy at the table push his glasses up nervously and his friends sitting next to him elbowed him in the ribs he winced and remained silent even as Tim swung his gaze around to lock with his.

In that moment Tim knew as only a former picked on high school kid could, that the boy with the glasses knew what had happened. And Tim also knew that he feared for his safety. Tim sent him an impeccable nod of support and then turned his mind back to the conversation.

"You can't make us go down there," the boy was saying to Grace. No I can' t but we will have an eye on you.

Tim took one last look and at the table and noticed a closed book it was covered in customary brown paper with the words AP Physics sprawled across it. "Tim flipped it open and smiled at the note book covered in scribbles he looked at the problem the boy was attempting to solve. He wrote out the formula and a complicated looking equation and then smiled at the boy with glasses. "That was a tough one for me too. Study it a bit and I think you'll get it."

The boy smiled weakly and pushed his glasses up his nose again.

The cops turned and left the store. When Grace turned to him a question in her eyes, he smiled and said simply, "I just left our informant my number. Time will tell if he calls until then we keep looking to place as many boys at the scene as we can."

Halfway back to the Lab Tim's phone vibrated, "McMann…What! No she's at a professional development today and you won't reach her by phone I'll have to page her. Yes she still caries one of those things."

He hung up and looked at Grace who was driving and tried to give her a reassuring smile but as he pushed the 9 on his phone and the words Sara Pager flashed across the screen, he was anything but calm. He looked at his watch and hoped the seminar hadn't let out early. With a sinking feeling he realized that the victims had all been killed in their homes.

"Grace we need to get to 532 Wilson" as the seconds ticked by he looked at his phone willing it to ring. As she flipped on the lights Tim closed his eyes and began to pray that his hunch was wrong.

"Julia Freeman" Lindsay said looking up. "She signed the processed applications for the vics New York metro fare cards. Just got off the phone with Mac. Rafe said Jason Kearns had just moved from New York to D.C."

Lindsay stared at the picture from the New York Metro Employee badge. But Sarah wouldn't be in danger unless….She trailed off. The face was familiar but they had been so sure it had been a man. She had been tired and the voice was uncommonly deep almost smoky.

"Sarah, would blow her MO and we need something to place her at the scenes," Rafe cut in.

"Perhaps she was getting desperate. Was trying to keep tabs on the body in DC too and being in to places at once is hard to do. Unless the two places come to you."

"But how would anyone know?"

Rafe shrugged and Lindsay continued to look through a list of names. "She has a male cousin who worked for the Metro too, but left to come down here. So he could be the one you saw on the train."

She nodded. "Let's hope so, we haven't heard from Sarah yet."

Tim's phone finally rang and as her name flashed across the screen he felt the tension in his gut tighten. "Sarah where are you? "

"Downtown at the Department of Ed."

"You need to get to the lab and do it under escort."

What…

"Sarah," Tim's voice was pleading.

Grace pulled over and took the phone from Tim. "Sara this is Detective Larson, please trust us on this and give your phone to the nearest officer."

Grace heard the phone being handed over and then heard, "Officer Livingston, Capitol Police.

"Officer Livingston this is Detective Larson of the DCMP. I need you to escort the woman who just handed the phone to you to the DC crime lab under protection for her own safety."

The words were enough, even with the different jurisdictions of federal versus district police; capital police wanted a threat out of the heart of the capital.

Grace tossed Tim's phone back to him and turned around heading back to the lab as he called Rafe to tell him that Capitol Police were brining Sarah to the lab.

* * *

Meanwhile Jack Moran was standing at the door to the office of the Director of the DC Metro. He had been on the phone with the New York Detective Flack who was going to attempt to pick up Julia Freeman if he could find her and bring her in for questioning but he needed to talk to Frank Freeman her cousin who was currently waiting in the office. 

The director sat at his des as Jack sat facing Freeman. "Do you want a lawyer, he asked.

"Am I being charged with something?"

"No," Jack shook his head, "I just have a few questions". The man nodded and Jack took it as his cue to continue. "Last night you were doing rounds and you asked this woman to show her Metro Disability ID," he showed him a picture of Sarah. "Is that correct?"

"Yeah," the man replied, "new policy started a month ago." He looked to his boss who nodded in confirmation and presented Jack with a memo that had been sent to all employees. Jack took it and slid it into the manila folder he carried.

"You used to work for the New York Metro system and just up and left a few months ago."

The man looked uncomfortable but spoke anyway. "My cousin got me that job and I was grateful to her but we had a falling out about how she was raising her girl." He shrugged so I left. You can ask my boss there, I explained it to him when he asked why I was leaving."

Jack nodded, "Thank you we'll be checking for that. Just one last question, have you seen your cousin in DC at all in the past few months?"

"No Sir, but it's a big city."

Jack nodded his agreement shook the man's hand and nodded to the director. With that her turned and left. They were getting closer he could feel it.

Officer Livingston escorted Sarah all the way through the Lab to the break room where Lindsay and some of the other lab techs were having coffee. Lindsay smiled her hello and offered her a cup which she declined. She really didn't like coffee unless it was a mocha and she usually had soda but not unless she needed it.

Rafe poked his head in and smiled in relief at her. Tim's in interrogation with the boy suspected of assaulting Luke if you want to view it.

Just then Lindsay's phone rang. Sarah was already on her way down the hall.

"There's a witness that places you as the person who tried to Assault Luke Sheen." Grace said plainly.

"I guess you didn't count on him being a black belt did you?" Tim broke in.

"He was a freak some kind of rain main all weird couldn't stand to be touched and stuff. Didn't show me no respect either I was gonna show the retard too."

"He's Autistic and has the IQ of a genus," Tim shot back, "There's a difference. And even if he was mentally retarded you have no right to beat him up because he is different."

"So I'll get some Juvie if that," the boy shrugged.

Tim leaned down and placed his hands on the table leaning forward. "You turned 18 last month. You can and will be tried as an adult. We have prints and a witness putting you at the scene."

The young man held his gaze and said nothing as the officer cuffed him and lead him away.

Rafe stopped Tim and Sarah as they came out of their respective rooms. "They picked up Julia Freeman in New York. Lindsay's in the break room."

Lindsay looked up at them and shook her head as she finished getting details of the confession from Danny. "She kept going on and on about people taking advantage of the taxpayers and kind hearts and how they didn't really need what they were given and generally they should just die and be put out of their misery." She shook her head again. Danny says she seemed insane but Mac is of the opinion that she knew exactly what she was doing and he is usually right."

"That he is," Rafe replied, "The captain is seldom wrong."

* * *

Sarah and Tim were walking through the FDR memorial the sun setting behind them as they were each lost in their own thoughts. As they stopped at the statue in the third room, he wrapped his arms around her and she leaned back into them. "I sent you an emergency page," he said simply referring to earlier that day. 

"I was talking to the mayor she said honestly."

He rolled his eyes and chuckled a little. "Of course you were." After a moment he spoke again, "You don't seem very rattled."

She shrugged, I grew up surrounded by the mindset. I have learned to ignore it. I have nothing to prove to them. Only to the people I care about."

She fell silent as they watched the last of the sun leave the monument to one of her heroes. They moved through the final room the sound of the waterfall rushing in their ears.

Staring at something only she could see she quoted softly,

"_The sense of an entailed disadvantage -- the deformed foot doubtfully hidden by the shoe, makes a restlessly active spiritual yeast, and easily turns a self-centered, unloving nature into an Ishmaelite. But in the rarer sort, who presently see their own frustrated claim as one among a myriad, the inexorable sorrow takes the form of fellowship and makes the imagination tender."_

He pressed a kiss lightly to he top of her head and tightened his arms around her. _Yes_, he thought, _he was one lucky man._

_ Finis_

**A/N 2: I hope that made sense as a case. Thanks for reading.**_  
_


End file.
